Machine for cleaning water-mains.



J. W. NELSON.

MACHINE FOR CLEANING WATER MAINS.

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1.105.528. Patented Jmy.28,1914.

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Fi' l@ J. W. NELSON.

MACHINE FOR CLEANING WATER MAINS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.14,1912.

1,105,528. Patented July 28,1914.

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onirica JOHN W. NELSON, or NEW YORK, N. Yf.

MACHINE FOR CLEANING WATER-MAINS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 14, 1912.

Patented July 28, 1914. Serial No'. 715,024.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JoHN lV. NELSON, a

rcitizen ot' the United States ot' America, re-

cleaning 'the water-mains of city waterworks, and more especially mains having a diameter from four inches up to twenty four inches, in a reliable and effective manner when they become gradually choked up by accumulating sediments of dirt.

Water-mains were heretofore cleaned by rst locating the length of `main tovbe cleaned, digging at opposite ends of the portion to be cleaned into the ground to the main, cutting olf a section of the main at each end, cleaning the portion between the open ends by pulling Scrapers through the same, then connecting the eiidnearest the water-gate by replacing the cut-oit' section ot' the main and then pushing, in connection with the pressure of the water obtained by the opening of the gate, the scraped4 oif dirt and sediments through an inclined extension pipe at the opposite end of the main into the gutter, and to the sewer. The still open end otl the main is then connected by re-inserting the removed portion thereof. Scrapers of various kinds, sizes and construction were heretofore employed for cleaning out the accumulated dirt from the mains.

In view thereof the present'invention relates to an improved scraping machine by which the cleaning of the water-mains is accomplished in a very effective manner, 'said scraping machine consisting of one or more Scrapers, which comprises a cylindrical stepshaped core provided with screw-sockets inclined to the longitudinal axis thereof, said core being provided with draft-eyes at both ends, one for the pulling cable and theother for connecting with a second scraper if necessary, and a plurality of outwardly-inclined spring Scrapers having upwardly-bentscraping edges, sai'd Scrapers being inserted into the sockets of the core, and grouped radiatingly around the circumference ol the core.

In the. accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a vertical longitudinal section of the ordinary means and method employed for cleaning water-mains with my improved Scrapers showing the same in the act of being pulled through the obstructed watermains to be cleaned, Fig. :2 is a vertical longitudinal section, drawn on a larger scale, of my improved scrapers and showing two of the same connected with each other, and Figs. 3, l and 5 are vertical transverse sections through the main, showing the differw ent Scrapers of a gang in end-elevation, and their varying cutting or scraping edges.

. Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, a represents the core of myiinproved scraper. The core a is made of approximately cylindrical shape and of steel, Wrought-iron or other suitable metal.l Through the center of the core a is passed a bolt b, to the forward-end of which is attached by a key or rivet b, and a ,bail-shaped eye b1, while the opposite or rear-end of the bolt is provided with an eye b2. The key b" is passed through the shank of the bail and through the end of the bolt and riveted thereto. The shank of the eye b is seated in a corresponding recess al at the rear-end of the core a. The core a is provided at its circumference with two sets of sockets ai, el?, which are placed at an angle of inclination to the longitudinal axis of the core, and. into which are screwed. the threaded'shanks e1 of radiating and outwardly-inclined scrapers ;e. In the drawings, two groups of eight sockets and two groups of eight Scrapers are shown, but it is obvious that a smaller or larger number of sockets and Scrapers, also an additional or third set of the sockets and Scrapers may be arranged on the core, according to the size of the water-nmins to be cleaned, and the amountot dirt.to. be removed therefrom. The Shanks of the Scrapers are bent into the shape of a coil, whereby a certain springaction is imparted to the same, and their en ds are made either in the shape of a chisel-point, as shown in Fig. 3, or of a serrated edge, as shown in Fig. 4, or of a smooth edge. as shown in Fig. A gang of three cores and scrapers is preferably arranged in line with each other and pulled simultaneously through the main, the first scraper gouging longitudinal grooves into the sediment that has accumulated at the inner surface ot` the main. while the second set attacks the intermediate portions of the sediment between the grooves so as to f form smaller grooves therein7 and break up y and cable until they main and the inclined pipe p after which,

' ward through the same,

the sediment, while the third scraper removes the broken up sediment of dirt by the final scraping action of its smooth scraping edges on the same. The first or frontscraper is connected by a cable f that is applied to the bail-shaped eye b1 of the first scraper of the gang while the intermediate scraper is connected with the first and third scrapers of the gang by shorter cablesor chains f1. The end of the front-cable f is passed through the water-main to be cleaned in the usual manner by pushing wooden connected rods through the entire length of the portion of the main to be cleaned, the rods being connected by means of screwsleeves; while to the rearmost end of the rods `the cable is applied, which has to be of a suiic'ient en'gth to permit the pulling throu h of the gang of Scrapers through the main y the action of a windlass fw, which is supported at the outgoing end of the main, and which is driven by hand or a suitable electric or gas motor.

The Water-main 1s opened in 'manner by taking out short sections of main at opposite ends of the portion to be cleaned, as shown in Fig. 1, after closing the water-gate from which the suppl 'of water the usual is obtained. The outgoing-end o the main' m is connected by means of an inclined pipe p with a point above the ground. The wooden rods are then assed through the main and connected as t ey are pushed forafter which the pulling cable f is attached to the end of the rods are pushed through the the cable is applied to the windlass. To the rear-end of the cable is applied a gang of Scrapers of the construction described. rIhe scra ers are then forced through the main by win ing the cable on the windlass. The inner surface of the main is cleaned by the successive and the adhering sediment broken u same.l As soon as the Scrapers are p is replaced and connected by couplings with the water-supplying 'end of the main and the water-gate opened. As the gang of the action of the Scrapers on the same l by the aced in v Aposition in the ingoing-end of the main,-the

short section of the mam which was removed,

Scrapers is pulled through the main, the dirt is washed out by the pressure of the water in connection with the forward motion of thev Scrapers through the inclined pipe p, the water assisting the forward pushing of the Scrapers as Well as the carrying along of the scraped off sediments, so that when the scrapers arrive at the outgoing-end of the main, the same is cleaned entirely throughout its length in a rreliable and effective manner. The section of pipe at the outgoing end of the main is then replaced and connected with the end of the cleaned portion of the main, the openings dug in the ground being then closed by replacing the dirt and pavement in the usual manner.

'llhe cleanin action in the main is accomplished by tie gang of scrapers pulled through the same. more or less on the effectiveness of the scraping action. By means of the Scrapers the cleaning of water-mains up to a certain diameter can be accomplished in a very reliable manner and thereby the taking up of long sections of mains, the interior of which is obstructed by sediments obviated, also the relaying of old and'obstructed water-mains by new mains to a great extent avoided.

A machine for cleaning water-mains, which comprises a gang of Scrapers arranged in line with each other, and flexible connections between the scrapers, each scraper being composed of a .core,' two groups of 1nclined sockets arranged in staggering rela-- tionwith each other, and radiating springscrapers inserted into said sockets, therst scraper being provided with spring-Scrapers The cleaning depends i havin upwardly-bent and pointed ends, the

secon scraper vbeing provided with spring- Scrapers having serrated ends, and the third scraper bein provided with spring-Scrapers having chise -shaped ends for removing successively all the sediments of the main.

lin ltestimony, that Iclaim the foregoing as niy invention, have signed my name 1n presence o two subscribing witnesses.

'Witnessesz l PAUL Gronrm., y donn 'll/lumache 1,3.

from the interior Joint w. Neilson'. 

